Break Open Cages
It is crucial to recognize that our communities hold the solutions. We understand our people's needs, and we are committed to dismantling the power and scope of the prison industrial complex.
When you donate to National Bail Out and become a monthly sustainer, you commit to the sustainability of our work by ensuring we have ongoing funds for bail, short and long-term supportive services, and our ongoing work to abolish pretrial detention systems and dismantle the prison industrial complex.
WE TRUST:
We unapologetically trust Black-led organizations and the brilliance of the communities most impacted to find the boldest, most strategic solutions. We identify and support partners who deeply understand the criminal punishment system from their own experiences and have the know-how to advance transformative changes in their communities. Many of the organizations we partner with have trained the Black Mamas and caregivers they've bailed out to participate in freeing other Black Mamas and caregivers.
WE DON’T REPLICATE:
We are mindful of not replicating structures of the current criminal punishment system, such as the commercial bail bond industry or punitive supervision. We pay 100% of bail (or a percentage where applicable in certain states) and don’t have a maximum on how much we pay for an individual's bail. We are fighting to abolish pretrial detention systems, dismantle the prison industrial complex, and empower community members to intervene directly and create accountable alternatives to harm.
WE REJECT DICHOTOMIES:
Using the false dichotomy of “violent and non-violent offenders,” “perpetrator and victim,” “guilty and innocent,” “deserving and less deserving,” and “human and less human.” These distinctions mean you don't think someone is worthy of redemption and perpetuates "us versus them" binaries. We don’t make bail decisions solely based on charges or public opinion. We are committed to applying the same values and practices to every request for bail help that we receive. We believe in restorative and transformative justice for all individuals who commit harm or are accused of committing harm. Abolition involves examining how we perpetuate carceral thinking and idolize unattainable innocence. We recognize the complexities of harm and strive to address violence by changing prevailing conditions rather than resorting to state or personal violence.
WE ARE GRASSROOTS:
Transformative change only happens when local community members with relevant lived experience lead the creation of that change. As a result, one of our primary goals is to embolden, strengthen, and connect local fights to abolish pretrial detention. We partner with Black-led organizations that possess a bird's-eye view and an in-depth understanding of the landscape of local organizing. By resourcing people-powered movements, we move closer to a world where everyone leads joyful, vibrant, and free lives.